Sisters of the Precious Blood oppose new rule for energy production

August 2018

The sisters of the Precious Blood stand with the US. Bishops, the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) and other catholic organizations in opposing the Trump Administration’s Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) Rule that was proposed on Tuesday, August 21, 2018.

ACE significantly weakens the 2014 Clean Power Plan (CPP) who’s aim is to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from electric power generating facilities by 32 percent by the year 2030 (relative to 2005 levels), and to increase the use of renewable energy and energy conservation. The CPP would result in estimated net climate and health benefits of 25 to 45 billion dollars per year in 2030.

Alternatively, ACE will allow states to decide if and by how much they will decrease greenhouse gas emissions. There are no numerical standards or targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions under ACE. This sets the clock backwards in lowering pollution that causes health related disease and premature deaths, as well as in mitigating climate change, inclusive of all its detrimental effects, such as severe drought, rising seas, extinction of species and extreme weather events.

The adverse effects of pollution and climate change are most experienced by poor and vulnerable populations of people. Our Catholic social teaching directs us to protect and work for the common good – which includes the climate – for all people, rich or poor.

In his encyclical, Laudato Si, Pope Francis calls us to equal and right relationship with creation, with God and with one another. We believe that our responsibility to care for the earth and to respond to climate change is not separate from our other duties and obligations, and we share Pope Francis’ view that it is a moral imperative to do so.